True loves and lovers
by music-speaks-to-me
Summary: Rosie has a choice to make between the one who makes her happy now and the one who has always made her happy.


**Hi This is my first wild at heart fic though I already have an idea for another one! It's Rax cos that was always my favourite paring. Does anyone even like DylanxRosie?**

 **Anyway I don't own this please read and review.**

 **Sorry if its Ooc I am currently rewatching Leopard's den but am only on series 4 and if I didn't get this posted it was going to abandon me.**

 **Also sorry for the rubbish summary I can be downright terrible at those.**

 **Kind of drabble-ish but oh well!**

 **Music-speaks-to-me**

* * *

It was just after lunch at Leopard's den and Rosie was sitting in the living room, a big cardboard box in front of her, unwrapping ornaments. Early this morning Alice, Charlotte and baby Robert had returned and the whole family was happily basking in the joy that a return to leopard's den brought and with the new family member the joy was doubled.

But Rosie couldn't feel it herself the laughter drifting in from the open window wasn't making her feel any happier and her heart felt heavy. It wasn't that she wasn't happy she was but all she could think about was her ex-husband Max a week ago the divorce papers had come through and yesterday morning her new boyfriend Dylan had proposed to her in a quiet moment alone in the surgery. She'd said yes but she wasn't quite sure that it hadn't all been the heat of the moment. It hadn't felt like when Max had proposed. All she'd felt then was pure happiness and love but this time she'd felt pain instead. She wondered if she'd only said yes because she was lonely. The divorce being final had made her realise that she very well could be alone for the rest of her life and that she didn't want to be. Dylan had given her an out. She wanted to tell Dylan she loved him, she knew it was what would be expected of her, but she needed to tell Max she was still in love with him.

The only time she had ever been this confused before was when she had found out about her mother leaving when she was just a child, they say anyone who looks into their family history will find a secret sooner or later and this one had cut her to her very core but once her dad had explained why he had forgiven her she had fuelled to make her and Max's relationship the same way as her parents' relationship had been and both subsequent ones with her father and her step-mothers. They couldn't be allowed to fight. Ever. She had to think of a way to stop it every time and in doing so her marriage became more like a chore.

When she returned to leopard's den she began to realise how far down in her memory she'd buried her teenage years and the love her and Max had for one another. And since this morning she was still checking her phone and email wishing someone would make contact she could no longer convince herself that it was her step-mother saying she was coming home she was looking for. It was Max she wanted to make contact. They hadn't been together for long only two years but they were the best two years of her life. And she couldn't let them go.

She let out a heavy sigh as she picked up the ornaments to put them back in their places and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Alice standing in the doorway.

"You alright?" She asked.

Rosie nodded softly but Alice shook her head, "no you're not. You've been sitting in a chair on the veranda, staring into space, while Charlotte charged around you with her schoolmates, yelling at the tops of their voices and when I mentioned I needed to unpack everything you jumped at the chance to help. The Rosie I know would be messing around with the kids or down in the surgery not sitting still or unpacking boxes!"

"Yeah, well the Rosie you knew was married to Max!" Rosie whispered brokenly as a tear ran down her face.

"Oh Rosie!" Alice cried as she brought the younger woman into her arms.

Rosie sobbed onto her shoulder desperately trying to find familiarity but since she had lost Max she felt like a stranger in a very strange land. Everything about her was a lie. Everything. Every smile. Every Snarky comment. Every perfectly timed joke.

As Alice gently lead her through to the kitchen and she saw the rest of the family waiting she knew she had done a poor job of hiding the damage.

Danny stood up, "Rosie, let us help you."

Rosie shook her head, "I don't think you can."

Olivia stood up suddenly, "Yes we can! We can convince Max to give you another chance!"

"It's not that simple Liv." Rosie replied sadly and before her sister in everything that mattered could cut in she added, "Dylan proposed to me this morning and I said yes."

"WHAT?" Liv exploded, "Why?"

"Because I love him." Even to Rosie's eyes her reply sounded false.

Liv shook her head, "No you don't."

As she stormed out Rosie knew she was right Dylan was the easy option. Unlike Max. But with Dylan, she'd had some wonderful times. And with Max…with Max they'd fought but he'd given everything to make it work and so had she, would she and Dylan do the same?

"Rosie…" Her dad started.

Rosie shook her head.

"Don't Dad. Just don't." she said as she left the room.

Liv waited quietly in her room to hear everyone leave the house to go about their daily business before whipping out her phone and placing a call.

"Hi, it's Liv. Listen don't hang up. We need to do something."

Hours later Rosie stood in the surgery feeding some of the baby animals that had newly arrived at Leopard's den earlier that week.

She'd successfully avoided everyone for the rest of the day and she now knew that all her family were in bed.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the door creak open.

"Not in the mood, Dylan." She whispered tiredly.

"Not Dylan." A soft voice replied and Rosie froze. She couldn't believe it. Was it really him?

As she turned her eyes were instantly drawing to Max's.

"What are you doing here?" She breathed.

"Liv called, told me everything." Max replied as he walked towards her never breaking eye contact. "About your new man. About him proposing."

Rosie opened her mouth to speak but Max beat her to it, "Do you love him?"

As she stepped forward and tried to answer Max's question she felt as though she was searching for the key to her heart in the dark. After all she was at a crossroads and whichever path she chose would ruin someone's life.

"Yes," She whispered and watched Max's face crumple as he turned to leave she grabbed his hand and finished, "But I'm not in love with him."

"Are you in love with me?" he asked softly tears falling.

"Yes." She nodded, "But-"

Max didn't let her finish as he pressed his lips against hers in a less than chaste kiss.

The kiss reminded her of chemistry lessons in school, when if the right two elements were put together, they'd explode. And it was the complete opposite of the kisses she'd shared with Dylan.

Rosie felt herself smile into the kiss but the two were pulled apart by a shout.

"What is going on here?"

"Dylan," Rosie breathed as she stared at her fiancé.

"Well?" He asked stepping forward towards them and Rosie took a step back when she noticed his hands were curled into fists.

"I'm staking my claim, is what's happening." Max replied as he placed himself in between Rosie and Dylan, his hand on Dylan's chest to prevent him from coming any closer.

"In case you didn't realise you're divorced." Dylan replied.

"Doesn't mean we can't try again." Max countered.

As the two men developed into petty squabbling Rosie thought deeply about what she wanted.

A few minutes later as their fighting neared physical Rosie cleared her throat.

Both men's eyes snapped to her as she held out the ring to Dylan.

"Rosie.." he whispered softly.

"You should give this to someone who is really right for you."

Max gave a breathless laugh as Rosie finished speaking and watched as Dylan left quickly after glaring at how Max's arm wrapped around Rosie's waist possessively.

As they heard Dylan's car pull out of Leopard's den at high speed Max pulled her in for a passionate kissing whispering, "I love you." Into her lips.

She kissed him harder trying to put all of her feeling into the kiss and his arms slid down to her legs and lifted her up so she had to curl her legs around his.

As he backed her into the wall for better support never once breaking the kiss they heard the door creep open.

"Rosie? What's going on?" a canopy of voices called as Danny turned the light on.

"Max?" Danny asked staring at his ex son-in-law in shock.

"Are you guys…?" Liv asked and squealed when the two nodded.

"Wait! Are you guys what?" Danny asked as Liv hugged the other two.

"Mr Trevanion," Max started.

"We're trying again," Rosie finished as Max kissed the side of her head.

The room was silent for a moment before the whole family began to congratulate them.

"But wait what about Dylan?" Alice asked.

"I gave him the ring back," Rosie replied. "I wanted something real."

The women in the family gave her knowing smiles while the men in the family looked confused but happy none the less.

The next morning the joy from the day before was doubled as everyone else ate breakfast and Rosie showed Max some of the new animals Leopard's Den had acquired while they were away. As they walked around the pens they each gripped the others hand knowing nothing would ever rip them apart again.


End file.
